A New Documentary – Chronicling the Scary Truth about our Pain Problem

There are no marathon runs for chronic pain, no walks for its cure. Yet chronic pain disables some 25% of the population in developed countries such as Canada and the U.S.A. This is no small disease. In Canada, chronic pain costs the economy an estimated 60 billion annually in treatment, lost wages & productivity; in the U.S.A. a staggering 634 billion.

Those who suffer with intractable pain in North America now outnumber heart disease, cancer & diabetes patients combined. The current media focus on “The Opioid Crisis,” a dramatic but not necessarily more serious issue – has unfortunately resulted in a profound loss of care for chronic pain sufferers who in many cases are being undertreated- with dire consequences. This burgeoning epidemic is largely ignored &underfunded.

Pain Warriors by award winning filmmakers Tina Petrova and Eugene Weis, examines with unflinching truth “the forgotten ones.” Long time pain patients denied life giving medications by government policies can be driven to suicide while some doctors who bravely fight to uphold their Hippocratic oath are threatened with loss of license, livelihood and even criminal charges that can lead to incarceration. Would we take away someone’s insulin, beta blocker or Warfarin because a small percentile of the population found a way to monetize those drugs and get high off them? Are the human rights of pain patients being sacrificed for politically expedient policies, and extreme cuts to patient care costs?

Pain Warriors serves up a plate of disturbing truth: chronic pain patients face a lifelong battle with no cure in sight. They build their lives around managing pain and struggle to perform simple every day functions like walking or shopping for food. Their demographic is invisible, shunned and disbelieved. And yet “they” “could be “us” in a flash. We are all a car accident, a surgery, or a degenerative condition away from this tragic outcome. This brave documentary shines a light on patients fighting for the right to manage severe pain, including an eleven-year old who draws his pain as long toothed monsters, as well as specialists prevented from helping their patients achieve a small degree of comfort and dignity through pain control. Tragically, when opioids and other medications are suddenly withdrawn because of a blanket “one-size-fits-all” legislation, doctors and patients alike are being left with nowhere to turn. From the somber spreading of ashes at Newport Beach Ca. to H.H. The Dalai Lama’s hospital in Zanskar India, viewers are swept up in a stunning cinematic journey featuring gripping stories from the trenches.

Pain Warriors~ enters into the desperate lives of pain patients fighting for their very survival, families torn apart by suicide, and the troubled worlds of compassionate doctors who stand up for them, risking reputations and licenses in doing so. Tina and Eugene bring a balanced view, to a timely issue. painwarriorsmovie@gmail.com/ www.painwarriorsmovie.com

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Sheseesthrees

PART 2
So I go back to PCP. Explaining I will NOT go back to the crippling effect of not being properly medicated as everyone knows ots a light switch effect when you lose your meds… like caffeine or one loses their cell phone they are hysterical. The media has caused this with the help of government scare tactics and BIG PHARMA…
Read the ProPublica report!
I told PCP how I was forced to streets, gun to headed robbed at gun point to wipe my savings to keep my rentals afloat but he did not care. Unlike 2.5 yrs ago when I was taken are of. I mentioned the uprise in suicide and comments made of WE are expecting that to happen. I was in shock. Drs are expecting us to do mass suicide? Wow
….. I’ll do what ot takes to survive. They’re all savages in my mind and we need new policies and politics STAT! THIS IS THE SADDEST USA POPULATION CONTROL EFFORT EVER….

3 months ago

Sheseesthrees

My theory unfortunately is same as all medications of opiods to control several intractable diseases that cause chronic widespread pain and anxiety for over a decade. Recently was at PCP for 3 followups after walking out of the drug addiction Dr I was forced to go to that was giving me opioids until his big payers of BELBUCA/BUTRANS suits and ties walked in offering a supposedly good solution to opiods. Just use the one of two ingredients in Suboxone! Oh and you’ll NEVER be able to ever have emergency surgery or dental work as it blocks the effects of ANY anesthesia or pain medication as it binds to receptors BUT prescribing doctors get HUGE kick backs from drug maker by taking patients off opiods that even in high doses are no more than 200-300/month and even Medicaid pays for it but now Medicaid pays the whopping 2500-5000/month for Belbuca Butrans Suboxone and ALL are abused by those truly not in pain JUST LIKE PUR OPIODS! It money. Money. Money. I have a recording of my Drs visit and he was fully aware I was recording. In it I talked about followed the rules and that only when dental surgery was brought into my routine and nearly every tooth working on due to damage in MVA and harshness of this illness and lack of energy taking tolls on my dental too. Well one person in office said take a extra other said they didn’t verify that so I was ripped off and gaven Belbuca. After several dentist calls in explaining they were about to slow break my jaw from the excessive TMJ and dental damage no care was given. In meeting with PCP I explained amd reminded him of 4 yrs ago when I was abruptly stopped on seriously high multi opiods and it caused Tachycardia amongst many more permanent side effects. I then agreed to see the drug addiction since he agreed to monitor you weekly which was horrible driving over a hour one way to sit all day in a probation setting, urinate in cup while nurse stands there, criticizing you and to get a week script. Atleast that stress is gone

3 months ago

Signe Topai

Well done! Thank you for all your hard work. My family donated to your cause. So, when can we view it? Was disappointed your article didn’t announce that.

3 months ago

Mary

I suffer with Fibromyalgia which I got after a car crash which was not caused by me but another driver!@
I look forward to this Documentary.
Thank you for making such a documentary. Chronic pain is physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually Devastating and yet we are “Invisible”…

3 months ago

ElizabethR

I sincerely hope that this documentary will receive wide distribution and be seen by those who need to see it. I also hope that some in policy-making and regulatory positions–those whose minds are not completely closed–will view it. No one should have to contemplate self-deliverance (suicide) as a way to end their pain.

3 months ago

Terri

Thank you, it’s so nice to read an honest article for a change.

3 months ago

Martha

Thank you. Everyone with CP knows this story personally. To be of highest & best use, this film needs to go to 60 Minutes & major news anchors / stations. Maybe just 1 anchor will care enough to start talking about this. The general public & most Drs. STILL do not understand the disease, let alone the collateral damage. Prior to my accident, I was a ridiculously, naturally happy person. 2 decades later, the pain is really a bit much. I now finally understand why some may opt for suicide, which is beyond tragic & totally medically preventable.
People who have proven to be responsible patients need to be treated that way.

3 months ago

Nerve

Fabulous! Any effort to shed light on the plight of chronic pain patients can only help create awareness. It’s simply unfair that money is being thrown at providing addiction treatment to people who make conscious decisions to abuse and steal pain medications and illicit pain pills while legit chronic pain patients pay the price for their crimes. When will money be spent on research for the underlying causes of chronic pain and treatment for such disorders instead of supporting opioid addicts and providing them with care and treatment? Chronic pain patients are left; therefore, to suffer and pay the consequence of the actions of addicts by restricting the very medically necessary medications that maintain some small semblance of our quality of life and minimal function?! How can that be right?! Our government is feeding the beast.

3 months ago

Jennifer Litvenovich

I have been living with chronic pain since 2009. I have had several epidurals, disectomies, non-opioid medicines given and finally a lumbar spinal fusion in 2012. I was in so much pain that I also had to have the hardware (bolts, screws) removed. Even after this and physical therapy for years, I am still suffering from chronic pain till this day. I am 42 years old and I will never get better. I have spinal stenosis and degenerative disk disease. I am struggling everyday to accept my condition and that every doctor I see says they can’t give me any opiods for my pain. The doctors treat me like a common drug user/addict even though I have never been addicted to any medication I have taken. I now tell the doctors I will do what I can do on my own to help somewhat my pain. I take loads of ibuprofen/tylenol every day just to manage my back pain. My liver function is not good but what else can I do? The government/doctors hopefully can’t oversee and take away my over the counter meds. I pray one day the doctors and everyone else can see what the pain is causing me. I wouldn’t wish chronic pain on anyone.

I live with chronic pain for the last 10 years I feel that my doctors have abandoned me since this opiate crisis started. My doctor let me and make a bunch of bad decisions about my pain management and once l was off my pain pills and was trying cbds but it was not working and asked to go back on my pain meds I was told that I would never get them back. So after a year trying to live without them I landed up on methadone and that has been horrible. Can’t wait to watch this

What a great post for us and hope others will join the fight.Us with real chronic pain have been forced to be the collateral damage of the opiate crisis.Chronic pain people that have not had any problems with their meds and have been living with them for over ten years or more should be able to finish what life we have left the most decent and happy as we can.I have been able to help others in many different things cause of meds for some years and at least doing that is better then nothing.They needed to do something about the opiate crisis but why at the expense of the ones that need it? Insurance companies and certain ones in government just see the doller sign.The countrys that legalized and made safe places for addicts have shown that all the stuff got better.Even the rate of people getting in recovery to the heroin addicts doing better in all ways.Stand up and join the fight.Let them know that all count.That our families count.Just ask that if real proven chronic pain people have not caused any problems in any way and it has helped them be a part of their family and a part of the community then why can’t they finish their lives out in a better way instead of feeling like you are being tortured.I feel like I am paying now to get worse instead of seeing a doctor to get better.The doctors have to go against their othes to do no harm.PLEASE TELL ALL AND FIGHT FOR LIFE.

3 months ago

Anthony Harding

My daughter and wife both died because they were turned away from medication. My daughter and wife pain was so bad that they both committed suicide. And when the doctor at hospital and PMDoc was asked about it they said ” oh well it happens”.

3 months ago

FormerPatriot

When how and where can I view this documentary? Netflix, HULU, Youtube, what? (Yes I clicked on the link but their web page was pretty short on those details as well.)

3 months ago

susan

I have multiple sclerosis and other pain issues. So far my PCP has been very helpful with prescribing my medications. I pray for all people suffering from not being able to get their doctor to help them. Thank-you. Susan Bowie

3 months ago

Christine Sparks

Hallelujah!! I’m so grateful to Tina Petrova and Eugene Weis and can’t wait to see this!

3 months ago

William

Can they get it on major networks that are seen by millions. That would put the pressure on the politicians to give us our medicines back.

3 months ago

Maureen M.

This is awesome! I remember donating last year to the production of this movie.
I just read there that it will be available for special viewing in the spring. I will await hearing just how we can view it. I hope it will be easily available??
It would be wonderful if it is advertised on TV and put on the big screen movie theatres! 🙂

3 months ago

Billie McCurdy

I have given up. I don’t know how to fight anymore. I stopped seeing the doctors they know the answers to why I have pain , they just don’t care to keep me comfortable anymore. I’ve been to herbalist hundreds of thousands of dollars spent. I have been tested for every autoimmune disease some would come up positive cross test negative . Where is my cure for chronic pain? I’ve been hypnotized you name it. I did not want to live with opioids. When they finally had me on the right dose to where I could function they took it away. Cut my medicine down by 70%. Nothing nothing has helped. Now I’m just a shell not able to eat not able to function. Now I will let my body die naturally. I pray one day someone we’ll solve this problem so others don’t lay down and die. I was always a mind over matter person. My mind could control the pain for years but as the body deteriorates due to these diseases your mind can no longer control it. Thank you to all those that are trying to fight. I wish I had the strength to join you and fight.

Great! I hope it is soon. All CPP have a short time left. We are sick , some for decades and they expect us now to live without medicine? I am on record as not being able to.

3 months ago

Rosalind Rivera

It is detestable that government regulations combine the illegal abuse of pain medications by those in comparison few, are bundled together with those such as myself in literally punishing us that are in severe pain . Most mornings I cannot even get out of bed until at the very least an hour has passed after taking my slowly diminishing pain medications. My doctor is a compassionate human being that reluctantly has greatly lowered the potency and dosages of my pain medications. He has been left no other choice under the threat of being criminally castigated. The doctor knows or should know each patients needs and is fully aware of those patients that he has been treating for long periods of time and their conditions. What should heavily be taken into account is when a patient clearly needs these medications through the verifications of such things as MRIs, CAT SCANS etc… where damage is clearly visible! Suicide? I definitely can see it as a viable alternative to long suffering!

how can we View the movie? When is it coming out? I tried to link and it just took me to a promotions page but no way to view it or buy it.

3 months ago

Laurie

Can’t wait! Education is all!

3 months ago

Debbie Nickels Heck, MD

This looks like a wonderful depiction of what those with chronic pain experience when forced off previously ideal medication plans when legislation is enacted by those who have little to no medical knowledge and were misled by media myths and erroneous CDC statistics.

3 months ago

Gary Raymond

The alphabet people have garnered more attention than those suffering from chronic pain.